"and vegetable kingdoms are so nearly joined, that if you "will take the lowest of one, and the highest of the other, "there will scarce be perceived any great difference "between them; and so on till we come to the lowest " and the most inorganical parts of matter,* we shall find "every where, that several species are linked together "and differ but in almost insensible degrees. And when we consider the infinite power and wisdom of the Maker, we have reason to think that it is suitable to the "magnificent harmony of the universe, and the great design and infinite goodness of the Architect, that the species of creatures should also, by gentle degrees, "ascend upward from us towards his infinite perfection, as we see they gradually descend from us downwards : "which if it be probable, we have reason then to be per

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suaded, that there are far more species of creatures "above us, than there are beneath; we being, in de"grees of perfection, much more remote from the infi"nite being of God, than we are from the lowest state of "being, and that which approaches nearest to nothing."t

3. The number of the finally lost will bear no proportion to the number of the saved. If the above conjec. ture be probable, that all the other orders of intelligent

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wiping the glasses, pouring out liquor, turning the spit, and such little "offices, which they perform with great dexterity." Grand Mag. for May 1758. See also Sturm's Reflections, Vol. iv. p. 244.

"ocean.

"There are in some liquors Animalcules so small, as, upon a calcula"tion, the whole magnitude of the earth is not large enough to be a third 'proportional to those minute floating animals and the vast whales of the There is contained in every animalcule the heart that is the "fountain of its life, the muscles necessary to its motions, the glands for "the secretion of its fluids, the stomach and bowels to digest its food, and "other innumerable members, without which it is impossible an animal "should subsist. What some philosophers have dreamed concerning angels, is true of these animalcules, viz. that many thousands of them 64 may dance on the point of a small needle." Keil's Introd. to Nat. Philos. p. 56.

+ Essay on Human Underst. Vol. ii. p. 48, 49. 7th edit,

creatures gradually rise above us, we need be under no alarm respecting the fidelity of the principal part of them, since in proportion to the excellency of their natures, they are the less likely to abuse their liberty. The whole of the human race are in a fallen state; but under circumstances which rendered it consistent with the divine perfections to provide a scheme of redemption, through which many will be finally happy. The angels are probably the next order above us. It is certain they did not all apostatize; and when we consider their favourable circumstances, and the great number of good angels spoken of in the Scriptures, it will not appear likely that many of them left their first estate. The probability in favour of even partial apostacy will apply to only a very few orders higher, and then of the remaining thousands of orders, the presumption is, that they all persevere in a course of virtue.

4. The inhabitants of all the worlds in the universe stand related to each other; and hence the exemplary punishment of men may be useful to keep other intelligent beings in their obedience. "It is not unreasonable to suppose," says Dr. Abernethy,*" that the affairs of this lower world (principally those of its chief inhabitants,) have a respect to superior natures, and are extensively useful to the whole system of intelligent That there are in the universe other spe"cies of rational agents besides mankind, and above them, "cannot well be doubted. As the state and situation of "distant orbs, render them useful to the earth, which

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"creatures.

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may be also useful to them in a different way, all conspiring to make one regular harmonious system of ma"terial nature; the like order may be, and we have reason to believe is established, among the several "kinds of rational beings, which, under different par

* Diss. on the Attrib. of God. Vol. ii. p. 138, 140.

"ticular economies, do all of them together make one "beautiful and moral system."

The fallen angels did not exist in this world during their day of probation, yet we are informed of their punishment, and the apostle Paul warns us against falling into the condemnation of the Devil." 1 Tim. iii. 6.

The apostles Jude and Peter also, put us in remembrance of their condition with a view to preserve us from presumptuous sins. Jude ver. 6. 2 Pet. ii. 4. By parity of reason, the punishment of wicked men may be a warning to other worlds of free agents, and thus prevent their apostacy.* Hence in creating those who suffer for ever, the goodness and foreknowledge of God perfectly harmonize. Had God foreseen that no good could be brought out of the fall, equivalent to the evil which it occasioned, no doubt but his goodness would have prevented it. But when, by the punishment of a comparative few, so many orders of creatures are kept in subjection, the evil appears so little in comparison of the good, that no objection can lie against the goodness of God in giving existence to those whom He foresaw would apostatize and perish.

If it should be objected, that the punishment of the wicked can be of no service to others any longer than during their day of probation, and therefore when that is ended, punishment should cease; it is sufficient to reply, that if examples of suffering, under the sentence

*"How know we, who shall survive the present world, to whom God may make men's hell a warning? Are not the devils now set out in Scrip"ture for a warning to man? And how know we what other creatures "God hath, to whom these punished sinners may be a warning? Or "whether the new earth wherein righteousness must dwell, according to "God's promise (2 Pet. iii. 12, 13.) shall not have use of this warning to "keep them in their righteousness? As long as all these things are pro"bable, and the contrary utterly uncertain, how foolish a thing is it, to go "from the light of a plain revelation and Scripture, and argue from "our dark uncertainties against the light?" Baxter on the Christian Rel. p. 394.

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of everlasting misery, be necessary to preserve order in the universe, the God of truth must execute the sentence; for it cannot be supposed that the foundation of the Divine government is laid in a lie. But it may be remarked further, that no man can say the Almighty will not be creating new worlds through all endless duration. To these worlds, as they successively spring into existence, the condition of the finally impenitent of our earth may be a warning.*

On the whole, it is not pretended that the above is as clear as a mathematical demonstration; but neither is it necessary. I have shown how it is possible to reconcile the creation of those who perish for ever with the perfections of God: and, since Revelation has not explained the matter, that is sufficient. In some cases God has not given us the reasons of His conduct, and then, if we inquire into it, we are necessarily involved in difficulties. Job xxxiii. 13. Rom. xi. 33. We may conjecture, and our conjectures may, in some instances, appear probable; but it is not in our power to arrive at certainty. God did not acquaint Abraham how the command to sacrifice his son could be reconciled with the promise that through this son he should be the father of many nations; (Gen. xvii. 4.) nor could Abraham see how the promise would be made good but he did not suppose the Almighty would be at any loss upon that head, and therefore he staggered not at the promise through unbelief. He knew, if there were no other way, God could raise him from the dead. Here we see that Abraham was so far from discerning with certainty how this difficulty would be cleared up, that he saw only one way in which it was possible, and that did not turn out to be the method which the Almighty adopted. God may have a thousand reasons

:

"The eternal punishment of wicked men and angels may continue "an eternal monument of disobedience and divine displeasure, perhaps "to many other systems of intelligent agents created to probation." Cure of Deism, Vol. i. p. 325.

for what He does and a thousand different ways of bringing about His purposes, which may not be within the ken of mortals. There is nothing wrong however in trying to find out His reasons and ways of action, provided it be done with humility; but if we pertinaciously arraign the wisdom and power of God when we can proceed no farther, we only display our pride and ignorance. Are we acquainted with all his works and ways? Can He do nothing which short-sighted mortals cannot explain ?

If it should be said, that what is advanced respecting all the planets being inhabited, and all the other species of intelligent creatures rising gradually above us by almost imperceptible degrees, is supported by very slender evidence; or should it even be proved to be impossible, (though I am quite confident it cannot,) yet it must not be forgotten, that these things are not immediately connected with the main argument. The Scriptures inform us, that, besides men, there are other intelligent beings-that some of them sinned and are suffering that their sufferings are recorded as a warning to us that others maintain their integrity-and that we ought to strive to do the will of God on earth as they do in heaven. Thus the most material points are proved from the sacred Scripture and but few will deny the following inference to be very probable-That God will make the punishment of wicked men a warning to others, and thereby prevent a greater evil, which is a sufficient reason for their existence.*

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"Why may not all the misery in this system of ours promote and in"crease the happiness of some others? We have good reason to believe "that there is some connexion between the different systems of the universe, but have small ground to imagine ours the best. Why then may it not be subservient to a better? This indeed is only conjecture; " however, I think it would be no easy matter to confute it, till which be done, we may very safely conclude, that the fall itself, as well as all the in and misery consequent upon it, could not have been prevented with